This invention relates to gas meter risers for use with underground plastic service lines, in which the riser comprises an assembly capable of being handled as a unit for connection to the underground plastic service line which, in turn, is connected to the source of gas, such as a gas main, and to an above ground point of delivery, such as a meter or the like. Gas meter risers of the type involved historically have evolved from primarily all metal gas service lines which extended from an underground gas main to an above ground meter or the like. Corrosion of the service lines was a serious problem having public safety ramifications, and government regulations came into being, such as one requiring all underground steel gas lines to be protected against corrosion, as by having a protective coating and cathodic protection. There then developed a trend in the gas utility field of employing plastic pipe for gas service lines, and plastic service lines became quite prevalent. However, the utilization of plastic pipe gas carrying lines above ground level had the serious disadvantage of permitting the plastic pipe to be deleteriously affected by above ground level ambient conditions, such as heat. In fact, for some time a government regulation prohibited the usage of thermoplastic tubing as a gas carrier line in applications where temperatures in excess of 100.degree. F. were likely to be encountered. This effectively precluded the use of plastic tubing as a gas carrier above ground. As a result, numerous complex expensive ground level gas meter riser devices of the so-called transition-type gas riser designs came into existence, such as the one disclosed in Lyall U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,537, in which gas is carried below ground by plastic tubing and above ground by metal pipe. These are expensive and involve multiple crimp, long engagement metal pipes on plastic tubing or plastic adapters. Another disadvantage of these ground level gas meter risers is that due to their incorporation of a transition means, they must be accurately positioned relative to the ground level to insure the proper disposition of the transition means relative thereto.
Government regulation changes ensued and presently they permit the utilization of thermoplastic tubing as a gas carrier in applications where temperatures up to 140.degree. F. will be encountered and, therefore, now permit their use above ground. In view of cost and other factors, it has become apparent that it is highly desirable to employ thermoplastic tubing to the maximum degree possible for conducting gas from an underground gas main to an above ground gas meter. As used herein, the term "gas" is intended to encompass all pressurized fluids that are likely to be carried to and employed in residential or commercial locations, such as, but not limited to, natural gas, propane, butane, and the like. As used herein, the term "plastic" is intended to embrace, but not be limited to, thermoplastics, such as polyethylene.